A point is much of the stuff, over an extended period, is not policy content, but entertainement TV, with very little content at all. Little that a logical thinking person (in any of the diverse 50 states) could use to determine the best leader and direction for the people of the USA.

Questions:
Is it a valid role of media to do promotional PR for canidates, (and for free) and sell it as news?

Since much is not news, why would other nations promote this stuff outside the US as news?

The best explanation presented, beyond laxy media, may indeed be bread and circuses